The Past and the Present's Future
by twiknham
Summary: COMPLETE How do our characters deal with the results of the decisions they made after the Shikon no Tama was completed. Major SPOILERS! Not a Sess/Kag pairing
1. Nightmares

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any rights to InuYasha, Takahashi Rumiko does. I only own the rights to my firing synapses.

"Kagome! Where are you?" InuYasha ran through the trees, his red clothing dulled in the thick morning fog. Kagome saw him flash through the trees and yelled back, or tried to. However, nothing came out, not a squeak, not a sigh, just silence.

"Ka-go-me!" He stopped and sniffed the air, then realized he could no longer smell her. She thought he was going to get close enough to see her white shirt, but it was as if she blended with the fog. InuYasha was muttering under his breath, talking about how inconsiderate she was to run off, knowing he wouldn't be able to see well in the fog. He was so close that he stirred the air in front of her. Instinctively, Kagome reached out to touch him, but her hand slipped right through his body, as if he was the mist.

It was her screaming that finally woke her up. Sitting up in bed, panting, she put her hands over her face. "Oh, I can't take much more of this." Drenched in sweat and shaking all over, Kagome looked over at the clock, 2:47am. She decided that it was better for her to go ahead and get started with her day than to go back to sleep and take a chance that the night terrors would return.

Kagome Higurashi had taken over the responsibility of running her family's shrine when her grandfather died two years earlier. She cleaned, made sure the flowers were cultivated, kept the koi fed, and ensured all of the daily ritual prayers were said to guard the peace and tranquility of the Shimboku Time Tree, the Bone-Eater's Well, and the holy items that were stored in the shed.

Although she had originally been uninterested in the "mumbo-jumbo" her ojiisan taught about the religious objects in the shed, after her final trip to the Feudal Era, she'd started paying close attention. Now she could make her own fuukas and the elders of the community came to her for herbs and elixirs. As she prayed in front of the tree where InuYasha had been bound, she wondered about the significance of last night's dream.

It had been almost three months since the last dream. She wished she could blame it on too much sake, or maybe not enough; but those experiments had only given her headaches, not relief. Coming out of her reflection, she smelled bacon and realized that breakfast was ready. Opening the door to the house, she sniffed appreciatively. "Okaasan, how are you today?" She walked up and hugged her mother.

"I'm good dear. Eat, I need to leave for work." Her mama often worked long hours. It had been a relief for her when Kagome had agreed to take over the responsibility of the shrine. "Do you think you can find time to go shopping this evening after the shrine closes? We're out of tempura, and I need it to make a dish for tomorrow's committee luncheon."

"Hai. I may pick up some other items, do you need anything else…" Kagome put a bite of rice and egg in her mouth. "Mmmm."

"There's a list on the counter." Mrs. Higurashi picked up her purse and walked to the door. "Be sure to finish the dishes, and if you get home before I do, Souta is supposed to come in from University sometime tonight. Mata."

"Mata Okaasan." Kagome finished her breakfast and had just put away the last dish when the first Shrine visitors showed up. A lot of the visitors were people from the surrounding community that wanted prayers said for them, or they wanted to say prayers for others. However, today two different groups of foreigners arrived and asked about the significance of the shrine. A group of Buddhists from India were awed by a tree that was able to bridge gaps between time, but a group of American tourists were unable to suspend their knowledge of reality to take a stab at believing something that could not be proven.

Ojiisan would have called them typical rude Americans, but Kagome understood how hard some things were to believe. After all, she'd thought that her grandfather was full of tall tales and fanciful imaginings until she herself had been pulled through the well into the Sengoku Jidai. Being busy was refreshing; it didn't leave her time to think about the nightmares that plagued her sleep.

By the time she finished taking care of the people who came for prayers, holy scrolls, and health tonics, it was after 3pm. Kagome grabbed the list off the table, locked the doors, and headed into the shopping district. She'd been in such a hurry that it didn't occur to her to check the weather channel, or to bring an umbrella. About halfway to the markets, she noticed that many people were carrying umbrellas, and when she finally stopped long enough to take a deep breath, she could taste the rain in the air. "Baka" she thought to herself and she headed into the open-air market.

Shopping was easy, and today she took some time to enjoy the novelty of sniffing the flowers and finding contentment. She only faltered once in her enjoyment of the task. As Kagome was picking out a loaf of sweet bread at the bakers, she caught a glimpse of a tall man with silver-white hair out of the corner of her eye. Startled, she turned, but it was only the back of a tall businessman with blonde hair discussing business with a shorter man with dark brown hair. Another man came up to talk with the shorter one, and the taller man turned and walked off. His stride seemed very familiar, but after a minute, Kagome shook herself mentally and wondered what had gotten into her head today. "I have got to be kidding myself if that man even remotely resembles Sesshomaru." Picking up her purchases, she headed into the final store.

Just as she finished her shopping and headed out the door with the fresh Tempura, the skies opened up with pouring rain. "Oh well." Since she hadn't thought to bring an umbrella, she knew hurrying through it wasn't going to help any. She laughed at what a funny day today had ended up being, and watched with a smile on her face as the people around her scurried to drier havens.

Kagome was just getting ready to step off the curb and jump in a puddle for the childish enjoyment of watching the splash when a dark limo pulled up and the back window rolled down. "Kagome Higurashi. As I live and breathe." Startled, Kagome looked at the shoulders of the tall businessman she'd noticed earlier. He was taking in her soggy appearance, starting with her feet and working his way north.

"Do I know…" Suddenly he made eye contact with her, and the blonde hair and normal face faded. Two purple stripes on each cheek and silver hair showed through what appeared to be a concealing spell. "Sesshomaru."

"You weren't fooled, curious. Come, I'll take you back." He opened the door. "Jaken, move over and make room." The shorter man she'd seen earlier faded and she was looking at Jaken sitting in the seat across from Sesshomaru.

Jaken glared at her, but moved over. "Do you know how long it took me to learn how to disguise myself? All of it futile because you are a Miko, and can see through disguising spells." He glared at her, before moving to the corner of the seat and sighing dramatically.

Kagome realized that they were drawing a crowd. The people watching couldn't see what Sesshomaru and Jaken actually looked like, only Kagome could; but they knew it was highly unusual for a rich businessman in a limo to pull over and give a lift to a soggy woman carrying groceries. She also knew that Sesshomaru would sit there with the car door open, in the rain, blocking traffic… forever; or until she got in the car. Admitting defeat, and secretly glad she would be getting a dry ride home, she stepped into the car and closed the door behind her.


	2. Time is Not Our Friend

**Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha, Takahashi Rumiko does. I just own my imagination.

It was very silent in the vehicle. Sesshomaru read business briefs while Jaken worked on a laptop that had wireless internet. Five minutes later, she glanced out the window and realized they were nowhere near the Shinto Shrine. "Where are we going?"

Sesshomaru didn't even glance up. "My office."

"You said you were going to take me home." She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.

"No, I didn't." He glanced up briefly while he clipped the pages of the report back together, putting them in his case. He retrieved another clipped report and started reading. "I said I would take you back. You never asked where 'back' was." He flipped to the second page. "Besides, it was out of my way to take you to the shrine, and at this time of evening, it's quicker to go to the office. You've probably failed to notice; but you're soaking wet, and it is a cool evening. My driver will take you home after you've dried off."

"Sesshomaru…" he raised an eyebrow, but didn't look up. "You haven't changed since the last time I saw you."

He smiled evilly and put down his report. "You have. You've aged." He snapped the lid of his case shut and opened the door. Kagome was so mad she hadn't even realized they'd reached their destination.

After a short trip in a very fast elevator, Sesshomaru unlocked the door to his office and waved her in. "Kagome, you are a wet rat. There is a private area behind that glass wall. Go back there and find something dry to put on. I will have your clothing returned to you when it dries."

As much as Kagome wanted to argue, she didn't. Her teeth were chattering too much and she hated to admit he might be right about something. Sesshomaru wasn't overly known for his kindness, and Kagome wondered what brought on this strange behavior. As she walked back to the bathroom hidden behind the glass wall, she noticed that this area seemed warmer than any other place in the building. She pulled a towel off of the brightly lit shelf, and walked through to a dimly lit room. At first she thought she was in a closet, but as she fully entered the room, the lights brightened and she realized that it was a bedroom.

Kagome took a minute to study the room that Sesshomaru had personalized. She wondered if his house had as much of him as this room. The walls were done in a light rusty-brown color, and teak colored bookshelves lined one entire wall. The bed was also teak, a simple Buddhist-style, no head or footboard.

However, it was the picture that hung on the wall opposite the bed that grabbed her attention. She had expected a plasma TV; but surprisingly there were no electronics visible in the room. Instead there hung a very old painting of a beautiful dark-haired woman wearing a ceremonial flowered kimono. The kimono had multiple layers and bespoke a woman of great wealth. Looking at her face, Kagome could tell that this woman deeply loved a man who returned that love. The painting itself looked like it had been painted by a master; and when she walked over to look at the signature, she realized that it had been painted during the Sengoku Jidai. Shaking her head and telling herself to mind her own business, Kagome walked over to the closet and pulled a simple black kimono off of a hook.

As she finished tying the sash, she walked back into the office area. There was a fireplace in one wall; and Sesshomaru was sitting with his back to her, drinking something and watching the fire. "Come sit down and finish drying off." He idly pointed to the other leather chair and took another sip of his drink. "If you want a drink, the decanter is to your left." Kagome vetoed the drink and sat down . She warmed herself by the fire and tried to maintain her silence, but couldn't.

"Sesshomaru-san, what do you think of on cold, wet nights like tonight?" Sesshomaru slowly blinked, but otherwise showed no sign that he'd heard her. She was silent for a moment, but then she continued. "I saw the painting in your room. I know you only of old, but I've never known you to care about anyone enough to have a picture commissioned. That one was done for you, by a master artisan." She sighed, but continued. "I noticed that the woman in the painting had silver in her hair; and although the wrinkles were slight, she was beginning to wear her age." This time his eyes cut over to her for an instant before they moved back to the fire and he took another sip of his cognac.

They both stared at the fire for a few more minutes, when suddenly he stood. He held a hand out, and she nervously took it. "It is time for you to go home." He helped her out of the chair, provided her with a very nice coat, and they headed out the door.

As he handed her into the waiting limo, he stopped and whispered quietly in her ear. "Being youkai is harder than being human, time is not our friend." With that, he shut the door on her and signaled the driver to leave.


	3. Dinner

**Disclaimer:** I don't own InuYasha, Takahashi Rumiko does. Aye, me.

Sesshomaru was met at the door by his assistant. "Sesshomaru-sama, has she left yet?" Sesshomaru nodded and walked into his private quarters. Jaken followed and helped prepare his master for bed.

"Jaken…" Jaken stopped pulling out tomorrow's wardrobe and turned to look at his boss. "Arrange an appointment with Ms. Higurashi for next Thursday evening. I need to discuss with her something of vital importance." He turned towards the bed and snapped off the light. "That will be all." Jaken bowed lightly and left.

Kagome was greeted by her little brother as she walked into her house. He whistled at the outfit and did a bad Groucho Marx impression. "Hubba, hubba. Where'd you get the threads?"

Kagome hung the coat up and headed up the stairs towards her room. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you Souta." She stopped long enough to look at him. "How are exams?" Souta was finishing up his second year at University.

"Umm… I think I'll be okay." She quietly turned and continued up the steps. "Oyasumi, sis." He sighed at the sadness in her face, rainy weather always made her like this. He wondered what she thought; but he figured he probably already knew that answer.

When she got to her room, Kagome took off the Kimono, folded it, and placed it in a bag to return to Sesshomaru's office the next time she was in the neighborhood. Naked, she walked over to her boudoir and opened the doors. Hanging in the back, on a hook especially placed for the honor, was a red shirt made of a very soft fiber. It wasn't his Hakama, but it reminded her of it. She ran her hand over it lovingly before putting it on and lying down on the bed. Hugging it tightly to herself, she sighed. "Oh InuYasha, why is time so cruel?" She slipped off to sleep, never feeling the tear that traced a path across her cheek and into the pillow.

The following week, Kagome again found herself standing in front of Sesshomaru's office door. However, this time she was dry, and Jaken was asking her if he could bring her anything. She smiled and shook her head. "Iie, I am okay." When Jaken opened the door, she was greeted by the smell of dinner.

Sesshomaru looked up from the desk and gestured toward the table. "Please, have a seat." Kagome looked at him nervously, and his lips tightened slightly. "I'm not going to seduce you." He stood and walked over to the table. "I'm hungry, and I thought I would share. Jaken will stay if you would feel safer."

"No, I trust you." Sesshomaru nodded once and turned towards Jaken.

"Jaken, your services will no longer be needed this evening." Jaken bowed and closed the door behind him. "Please, sit." Sesshomaru sat and picked up her plate. "We have salad, veal, sweet potatoes, and fruit. Nothing fancy, but I did want to present a civilized front. I am aware that you have only seen me in battle."

Kagome waited until he set her plate back down before looking at him. "Why am I here? I don't believe it was only to feed me, although dinner does smell wonderful."

Sesshomaru finished filling his plate, set it down, and then looked at her. "Kagome, tell me of the last time you saw InuYasha."

She looked up at him, startled, and felt tears coming to her eyes. "Please" she whispered. "Please don't ask me that." She bowed her head, her memories far away.


	4. Kagome's Memory

**Disclaimer:** Takahashi Rumiko wa InuYasha ga arimasu. Twiknham wa souzouryoku ga arimasu.

Sesshomaru gently touched her shoulder, startling her. "There is a reason I ask this, Kagome. What is your last memory of InuYasha?" Without looking up, Kagome quietly began retelling her final memory.

"We had defeated Naraku, and Kohaku and Koga had given us their shards so that we could complete the Shikon no Tama, or Jewel of Four Souls. Miroku's Kazaana, or Wind Tunnel, had healed, and we had just finished returning from his wedding ceremony to Sango. Shippo had decided to stay with those two, having finally reached his teenage years, and Kirara was enjoying the peace." Kagome took a sip of her water, and Sesshomaru knew she was caressing the memories in her mind like a master shooter would lovingly touch all of his best marbles.

"InuYasha and I set off on our own. Kikyo had finally been able to pass on to the next world, and InuYasha was finally able to let go of the burden of caring for her. We spent several long days and nights talking about his feelings for Kikyo, and why he had not allowed himself to grow closer to me." A tear rolled down her face, and Sesshomaru gently gathered it, unnoticed. It shimmered in the light, and he thought of someone else whose tears had held the power to touch his soul.

"Kaede had talked with us about what it would take to reform the Shikon no Tama, and we both decided that it would have to be done. InuYasha had some very hard decisions to make. Did he become a youkai, or a human? Whichever decision he made, there would be sacrifices. I could take the Jewel back with me, but my bloodline would forever be threatened with a youkai coming through time to find it. Finally, after many nights of sitting in his tree and thinking, InuYasha decided to become a human and return to my time with me." Kagome pushed back her uneaten food and looked at Sesshomaru. "Can we sit by the fire? I can not eat any more."

Sesshomaru didn't tell her that she hadn't eaten anything to begin with, but stood and walked over to the leather chairs. He flipped the switch to turn the fireplace on, then poured two glasses of cognac, handing one to Kagome as he sat. She took a deep draught as she sat down, and they both looked into the flames for a few minutes as she gathered herself to continue.

"Putting the Shikon no Tama together was easy, purifying it was easy. InuYasha then held it in his hand and thought to his very heart about what he wanted. He wanted to be a human so he could live in my time." She sat still, remembering. "The light was beautiful, I'd never seen the Shikon no Tama glow so brilliantly and pure."

"When the light faded, the Shikon no Tama was gone, and I was looking at a man who had silver hair, and normal ears and hands. He drew Tessaiga, and nothing happened. He was ecstatic." Kagome smiled sadly. "We stayed up all night, sitting on the hill. Both of us together; but in our own thoughts. We were remembering those things that we would be leaving behind, and to whom we would be forever saying our farewells. Miroku and Sango knew of the decisions to be made, and had said their farewells, knowing in their hearts what our decisions would be."

"As the first light of dawn came over the mountains, InuYasha took my hand, and we went down the hill to say goodbye to Kaede-jiji and Myoga-jiji, and gather my belongings. It was a sad parting, but we all knew that it was the right decision. InuYasha and I walked to the well, hand-in-hand. We were both worried about the future, but we were also certain in our path. When we reached the well, InuYasha stopped and looked at me.

'Keh, are you sure I can live in your world?' He looked worried.

I ran my free hand gently through his hair. 'No dog ears, you are just a normal human.'

'A normal human…I always thought being a human was a weakness. You've taught me differently. It sounds like a wonderful thing. Let's go.'

Together we stepped onto the edge of the well, and jumped."

Kagome looked over at Sesshomaru with tears in her eyes. "Please…"

"No, you cannot stop." His face was hard; his eyes glittered like shards of glass.

Kagome took a gulp of cognac, gasping and coughing as it burned. "You are a cold, heartless bastard."

"I'm a cold bastard, yes. However, my heart continues to beat in my chest, irregardless of my desire that it would stop." Kagome blinked and looked at him through teary eyes. "If you will finish your memory, I will tell you one of my own, the one that I have lived with for many ages past."

"Fine. You won't let me leave until I do, and I have to believe that there is a reason you're wanting me to dig through the bloody tatters of my heart."

Sesshomaru sighed. "So dramatic, humans. You are free to leave. But I tell you that tonight may prove to be healing for both of us." Kagome blinked at him owlishly and he grimaced. "Why do all females automatically assume I mean something perverted by that? I told you when you arrived that I was not going to seduce you. I am not attracted to you, Kagome. My heart continues to beat in my chest; but it died years ago. I have no more feelings of that nature."

Kagome took a ragged breath, and continued. "InuYasha and I both jumped into the well, but only I came out on the other side. For whatever reason, InuYasha was unable to pass through time with me once he became human." She was silent for a moment, and then continued. "I ran to Shimboku, and InuYasha must have done the same. We spoke to each other, shared our hearts. Then time sealed us away, and I was no longer able to hear him. That was ten years ago." She stared into the fire. Sesshomaru was also silent, giving her time to compose herself.


	5. Sesshomaru's Memory

**Disclaimer: **Takahashi Rumiko wa InuYasha ga arimasu. Twiknham wa souzouryoku ga arimasu.

"Kagome, if you will allow me, I would also share a memory. Then maybe you will allow me to talk with you about where we go from this point." Kagome shrugged her shoulders, and Sesshomaru took that to mean she wasn't out-right refusing to listen.

"I have only loved one human. You met her on several occasions." Kagome's eyes widened as she realized the picture in the bedroom was of Rin, and Sesshomaru chucked. "I'm not a letch. Girls do grow up, and sometimes childish feelings mature also." Kagome blushed, and waved a hand for him to continue.

"Do you know how I met Rin?" Kagome shook her head. "After InuYasha and I fought and he wounded me, I went back to the place where I always go to escape from everything. As I lay there, feeling that my father had rejected me for that half-breed, a little child peered at me around a tree. I saw her, but didn't acknowledge her presence."

"She came back several days, bringing me little treats, but I scorned them all." He smiled gently at the generous innocence of a certain child. "She never spoke a word. She had been bringing me fish, and I told her to quit wasting her time. The next time I saw her; the poor child's face had been battered. I felt indifferent to her injuries, never having been beaten up without first provoking." Kagome smiled a little at that thought.

"The following day, as I was leaving, I started to pass a mangled body on the path when Tenseiga started pulsing. When I stooped down to look at the body, I realized it was the child who had tried to care for me. She had been attacked by Koga's wolves, before he put a stop to that practice. She was dead." Kagome looked like she might cry, so Sesshomaru quickly continued. "I used Tenseiga and brought her back. She followed me everywhere after that day."

He stood up and paced for a minute, agitation apparent in his movements. "I won't say that life with the child Rin was easy. She had a tendency to sing silly songs, she loved to make Jaken play childish games, and occasionally I would have to rescue her from her overly caring heart, or Naraku." Sesshomaru thought back to the time he caught her falling body just feet from rocks that would have crushed her beyond repair; and the time Kohaku was a breath away from killing her for Naraku. He breathed deeply, then sat back down and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped.

"Just before Naraku was defeated, you'll remember the youkai that kidnapped all the children, and the monk who tried to take Rin from me?" Kagome nodded. "I told Rin to go whichever direction she chose, so that both she and the Monk would know I held no power over her will." He looked straight at Kagome. "You have to believe that I never made her follow me, I never once manipulated her decisions." Kagome nodded. "She followed me of her own free will."

"When we arrived back at the place Jaken was, there were some tombstones." He sighed. "I don't know what Jaken said to her, he isn't always tactful. She touched one of the stones and looked at me and asked me if I would remember her once she died." He swirled his cognac and took a sip. "How such innocence can understand the complexities of the soul, I'll never understand." He looked at Kagome again. "I guess it was the same as your understanding of Kikyo's hold on InuYasha's heart." She looked away.

"After the Shikon no Tama ceased to exist, you left that world to return to this time, and Time passed. Before I had realized, Rin was no longer a child; and her feelings towards me were those of a woman." He chuckled, but it was with amusement. "I was shocked the first time she kissed me. I've been alive a very long time Kagome. I don't pay attention to the passing of the years. I recognized that Rin was becoming more mature, more intelligent, and more interesting. I was not prepared to have her turn that childish adoration into adult love." He grimaced.

"I woke up one night to a warm female body pressed against my side and warm, gentle lips touching the corner of mine. When she realized I was glancing at her, she blushed; but didn't pull away." He grew silent as his thoughts moved inward.

"What are you doing Rin?" His arm had curved around her in his sleep, but he tightened it imperceptibly.

"Rin is kissing Sesshomaru-sama." She leaned over and kissed him again. "Are you not pleased with Rin's actions Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Why?" He didn't move, he was even afraid to breath.

"Because Rin's feelings require that I kiss you." She rested a hand over his heart, it thumped heavily. She smiled.

"You are aware of what kissing between a male and female means, Rin?"

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama. Rin has not been a child for several years now." She ran her hand up his armless shoulder and rubbed it. "I have been aware of you this way for many months. Rin has given up on you noticing, so Rin decided to inform you instead."

"What are you asking of this Sesshomaru, Rin?" He waited, with held breath.

"Only you. For what time we have." She kissed him full on the mouth this time, and he didn't resist.

Sesshomaru came out of his memories and looked at Kagome with an ironic smile. "We were together as a couple from that night until she died."


	6. The Letter

"Kagome, do you know how long a youkai lives?" She didn't. He laughed harshly. "An infinity longer than humans. An infinity of heartache and loneliness." He took a deep drink, relishing the burn. "I had sixty two years with Rin. We lived happily for that time. I treasured every day, and grew to understand that my father wasn't weak for his love of InuYasha's mother. Although Rin and I had no offspring, we felt no regret. To the day she died, I knew I was loved. To the day I die, she will be loved." He looked at Kagome, his eyes glowing red. "My only resentment is that I have to live with her loss, while my father was spared that pain." Kagome could feel her eyes tearing up again.

Sesshomaru leaned over and gently took her hand. "Kagome, don't cry for Rin and myself. You've seen the painting, that is a picture of a woman with no regrets, painted for a man with no regrets." He squeezed her hand gently and let it go. "I've not asked you here to draw tears from your eyes."

He stood up and walked behind his desk, pulling a key out of his pocket and opening a locked drawer. "I asked you here tonight to find out your feelings towards my half-brother." Her eyes widened, and he chuckled. "I came to equal terms with InuYasha a long, long time ago. It's hard to hate a person who is good, regardless of the situation of his birth. Hanyou or youkai, InuYasha was a good man, and I am proud to have come to peace with him."

Sesshomaru took out a letter that was faded, but in good shape. "I was asked to give this to you. InuYasha knew I would be the only one who could." He walked back to the chairs and handed her a missive sealed with wax. "I'll give you some peace while you read. Please, do not leave until we can finish our conversation." As she heard the door close softly, Kagome gently slid a fingernail under the wax and broke the seal.

"Dearest Kagome, if you are reading this, than my desire that you are safely back in your time has been fulfilled." Kagome swallowed a sob. "I'm sorry I was not able to join you, I do not know why I was unable to follow through the bone-eater's well. I have been living peacefully in this time, Toutosai has taken me under his wing, and I have been helping him to make swords.

Sango and Miroku are proud parents of twins, one of each. The girl is flirty like Miroku, and the boy is as talented as Sango. They all send their love, and also pray that this letter is received in health.

Shippo has settled down with a girl he met at one of the villages we went through. He said it took him a long time to talk her around because he'd played a bad trick on her when they were children, and she hadn't quite forgiven him. They are still in the stages of new love, yeeck!

I'm afraid I'm doomed to spend the rest of my days watching those who fought with us settle down to normal lives while I long for a life I will not be allowed to share with you. I am very sorry for the wasted years in which I was unable to give my heart to you because of it's previous attachment to Kikyo. Please know that after you left and I was unable to follow, I finally understood exactly how very much I love you.

I'm not writing this to upset you. I've written a mountain of letters since the day we were separated; but this one is the one I've chosen to send. I do believe that I am now mature enough to speak my heart without the pain I felt for many years. At first I blamed you for leaving me, being childish in my inability to admit my feelings.

I know life is different in your time. I've run into Akatori Houjou numerous times since the last time you saw him, and I am wanting to make my wishes clear. If the Houjou of your time is available, it is my desire that you search him out and love him. Akatori is a good man, and the Houjou I remember meeting was just like him. I want you to be happy.

Sesshomaru was asked only to give you this missive if you were still unmarried after 10 years. Since I am human now, I will not live to your time. I'm already in my thirties, and this body does not function as flawlessly as it did as a hanyou. Please understand that I will love you forever, and I know that you love me. I'm not asking you to keep that love, although my soul will accept it. I am asking that you not pine for something that cannot happen, and that you live life to the fullest.

Yours through time,  
InuYasha."

Kagome dropped the paper beside the chair and curled up, sobbing brokenly. Sesshomaru quietly entered but did not let her know he was back. After several minutes of listening to the sound of heartbreak, he could stand it no longer. Uncharacteristically, he walked over to where she was, picked her up, and held her in his lap.

After a few minutes, she quit sobbing and looked at him. He looked back. "InuYasha died peacefully at

age 92, that's very old for a human back then." Tears slid silently down her cheeks. "Kagome, stop. I have more to say." She shook her head furiously.

"I can't take anymore." She tried to push away from him; but he tightened his arms, almost hurting her.

"I need you to listen to me." He continued to hold her tighter and tighter until she finally stopped pushing and looked at him. "What if I told you I knew of a way for you to go back?"

A/N: And you probably thought I was going to write InuYasha completely out of this one.

BTW: I'd love to know if anyone is actually reading this. I'm not looking for reviews in particular (although I welcome all), just wondering if I'm wasting my time updating this story. It is Christmas time, and I _could_ be doing other things. There are 18 chapters (yes, I completed it before I started submitting it), and at 2-3/wk, that's time that I could be doing something productive, like sleeping. I will keep updating whether I get "reviews" or not, it's just curiosity on my part since this is my first FF. -TK


	7. Choices

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. My imagination belongs to me.

Kagome woke up and realized she was on Sesshomaru's bed. There was a light blanket thrown over her body, and she was fully dressed. She could see daylight escaping around the edges of the blinds, and her watch said 10:22. Her head was pounding, and she was afraid to look at her face in the mirror.

A voice came from the outer room. "Since you're awake, you can come out here and face me." She didn't really want to, but that was the only exit.

"I'm going to brush my teeth first, and unless you want me to use your toothbrush, you'd better tell me where you keep the spares." She thought he chuckled, but she wasn't sure.

"There's a new one sitting on the counter, still in the box. By all means, take a shower too if you want, we have all the time in the world." His phone rang, cutting off her retort.

Twenty minutes later, Kagome walked into Sesshomaru's office to find three men and a woman staring at her in disbelief. She blushed in surprise, than blushed deeper as she realized that every one of them thought she'd slept with Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru's voice quickly cut through the silence. "I do know what all of you are thinking. Things are not as they seem." He didn't even look up from the financial statement he was studying. "Can we get back to business?" He looked at Kagome and even though his face didn't change expression, she could see the humor in his eyes. "There are some Danish Rolls on the coffee table, and fresh coffee in the carafe." He held out his mug. "And you can get me a refill since you are up."

She stalked over to the table, grabbing the mug out of his hand. Before she could move away, he snatched her wrist, stopping her motions. "Do NOT think of pouring that on this Sesshomaru when you return." His voice was as cold as she could ever remember. "Remember your place here." The four onlookers shuffled papers and pens, trying to become invisible.

Kagome stiffly walked over to the coffee table and refilled his glass. "Remember your place, my ass. I'm going remember him in a minute." He cleared his throat, _damn his good hearing anyways_ she thought as she took his mug back to the table. He gently took it from her and sipped, forgetting she existed while he concentrated on business. Feeling as out of place as a hobbit showing up in Othello, Kagome took a Danish and a cup of coffee and walked over to the huge window that looked out over Tokyo.

After his morning staff meeting had concluded, Sesshomaru looked around and realized that Kagome was still standing at the window, silently waiting to finish their conversation from last night. Sesshomaru was beginning to see the hidden depths to her that InuYasha had talked about in many of the conversations they held during InuYasha's later years.

InuYasha had explained that although Kagome loved him, she'd always understood his relationship with Kikyo. He smiled at all the Osuwari's he'd received whenever he returned from a meeting with Kikyo.

"Don't think for a minute that she wasn't jealous, she was a total bitch for the next day, and I kissed dirt until I could tell you what kind of minerals were prevalent in the soils of most of the provinces."

"Why did you put up with that kind of jealousy?" InuYasha just looked at him through faded gold eyes. "I see. I would have killed any man who Rin talked to." InuYasha nodded wisely, taking a sip of his tea.

"Kagome was more angry at me for lying than she was for me going off to talk with Kikyo. I have to believe that part of her understood that my feelings for Kikyo were more about taking care of her than true love." He sighed. "I had a youth's love for Kikyo, a first love. The feelings I have for Kagome…" He got up and stirred the fire. "Those are the feelings of a man who has been hardened by battle, but softened by an understanding that life can be fleeting and each moment should be lived. I will love her through eternity, not as a youth; but as a man who lives with the regret of never having expressed his feelings to the woman who carries his heart."

Sesshomaru suddenly remembered that was the same evening InuYasha had given him the letter for Kagome. He'd read it after he'd put Kagome to bed last night, thinking how different his life would have been if he'd never shared his feelings with Rin. "Poor bastard."

Kagome heard him, but didn't have the first idea what he was referring to. "Did you say something Sesshomaru?" He smiled gently and pushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. "I was thinking my brother never understood what he had, until you were gone. Poor bastard." He walked over to his desk and pressed the intercom button. "Mrs. Ihlman, please find Jaken for me."

Jaken entered, carrying the staff of two heads and a wooden box. "Sesshomaru-sama. Jaken has arrived as you requested." Sesshomaru waved him into the room.

"Jaken, I have told you on multiple occasions that you are not required to address me so formally. We have known each other for many years, I was hoping at some point, you would realize that we are more friends than master/servant." He walked around the desk and took the box from Jaken.

"I realize this Sesshomaru-sama. However, I am more comfortable with the more formal address. I have considered you my friend for this last three century, as witnessed by my no longer running from you when you glare at me. However, I have called you Sesshomaru-sama for over a thousand years, I cannot change now."

For the first time, Kagome noticed how very old Jaken had become. Although his human form looked like it was in its fifties, his actual form was wrinkled and he shuffled more than walked. She must have shown some type of pity for him because he wrinkled his face at her. "Do not pity Jaken. I am not far from the next world. However, we each have a part to play in this still and my time is not through." With that, he turned and left.

"Kagome, I told you yesterday that I knew of a way that you could go back. It was a half-truth. I know of two ways to resolve your dilemma. They both involve sacrifices."

Kagome listed seriously to both of the ways that Sesshomaru knew would allow her to be with InuYasha. Neither way would be easy. He said they both involved sacrifices, and she wasn't sure what the correct decision would be. "Can I think about this for a couple of days?"

Sesshomaru thought for a moment. "In order to be given BOTH choices, you must make a decision by Monday. That gives you three days to make your decision and come to terms with what circumstances that will create." She was saddened by what such a short time meant, but she also knew that this was not a decision to make quickly. She promised him that she would let him know her decision Monday morning. He nodded, turning back to his work. As the door closed behind her, he laid his pen down and looked out the window. "Make the right decision, for all of our happiness."

A/N: I sincerely thank each of you for reading this story. I especially thank those of you that have taken the time to reassure me that people are reading.  
Please continue to enjoy, drop a review if you feel like it, especially if I've messed up. I will continue to update regardless of whether I receive feedback.  
I did enjoy everyone's reviews, I'm changing certain words that have incorrect usage: I hope Mata is better than Sayonara? And I have been unable to find Manga beyond Anime Ep. 167, so this is only accurate through Ep. 167.  
-TK


	8. Weighing Options

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha belongs to the creative genius of Takahashi, Rumiko. My wild imaginings belong to Twiknham.

As the door closed behind her, he laid his pen down and looked out the window. "Make the right decision, for all of our happiness."

ooooooo

Those three days were the longest days of Kagome's life. She spent time praying at the well, she spent time talking with her mother, she spent time staring out the window of her bedroom. Souta brought her meals to wherever she was at, and he was startled at how bad she looked by the end of the third day. "Nee-san…"

Kagome looked up at him. "Mmh."

Souta handed her a mug of tea. "Can we talk?" She nodded. Souta was worried; it was obvious she hadn't slept in the last three days. "I know you are having to make a tough decision, I was wondering if I could help."

Kagome rubbed his hair, forgetting for a moment that he was now an adult. "Souta, what does a little brother like you know?"

Souta reddened, but understood she was not trying to insult him. He turned to look at her. "I know that sometimes older Sisters cannot see the biggest forest because they do not ask for the opinions of the littlest trees."

Kagome blinked and looked at him seriously. "Souta, you're right. What is the opinion of this littlest tree?"

Souta laughed. "Besides the fact I'm now taller than my older sister, I can't give you an opinion until you explain what has been keeping you awake these last three nights."

Kagome quickly explained her conversations with Sesshomaru, and Souta was shocked that Sesshomaru had found a way to travel back through time without the Shikon no Tama.

"Yes, Housenki's son made a jewel for Sesshomaru that allows the bearer to go back to the Sengoku Jidai. However, that person cannot come forward again. Since Sesshomaru has had these 500 years, and it only takes Housenki Jr. a hundred or so years to make a jewel, Sesshomaru had time to wait for the jewel to be made."

"And he asked you if you wanted to go back to the past and be with InuYasha?" Souta traced a pattern on the rice mat.

"Hai…Iie, he gave me a choice. I can go back and live my remaining years with InuYasha, or I have a second choice that will allow everyone to be happy if I'm willing to take a little risk on some people I have not trusted in the past." She breathed in the fragrant steam coming off of the green tea in her hand.

"Namely Sesshomaru."  
Souta sighed heavily, so did Kagome.

"Souta, I trust this Sesshomaru, today's Sesshomaru." She looked him directly in the eyes. "You have to believe that." He nodded. "The problem is that I don't trust the old Sesshomaru, the one from the past." She sighed. "I'm afraid that if I make the second choice, it will change the past and because of that, my future will not end happily."

"So your choices are to leave us and live with InuYasha, taking the risk so you might get to live a full life together in the Sengoku Jidai. Or you have to trust that the old Sesshomaru will keep his word and make everything happen so that InuYasha can be with you in the present." Souta coughed quietly and grinned at Kagome. "I'm glad I'm not you!"  
Kagome whacked him on the shoulder knocking him down; and as he sat back up, he hugged her tightly. "I'm only kidding. Seriously, you know we love you. Whatever decision you make, both Mom and I will support that decision." He let her go and traced patterns on the floor again. "If you really want to go back to be with him, we'll miss you; but we'll understand. You find that kind of love only once." Souta pushed off of the floor and walked to the door before turning back. "I'd choose love, Kagome."

Kagome stared into the night stars, she knew what her decision needed to be; but it didn't make the morning come any faster.


	9. Decisions

**Disclaimer:** Takahashi Rumiko has great original work. I do not. Please enjoy my spin on her story and characters.

Sesshomaru was standing in the lobby of his office when Kagome exited the car he'd sent to retrieve her. She knew he might pretend indifference, but he was just as acutely nervous about her decision as she had been about making it. His happiness relied on her decision as much as her happiness relied upon him. She knew he would let her go back to that time, causing him to live out the rest of his life alone. She also knew that she couldn't live with any decision that was made for selfish reasons. As Kagome opened the door and Sesshomaru casually turned in her direction, she smiled warmly.

"Can we talk somewhere other than this lobby?" Her words echoed off the great marble walls, showing exactly how public any discussion in the lobby would be. Sesshomaru waved her towards an elevator, and they both headed upstairs. Neither said anything, but their eyes met and held in the mirrored surface of the doors. When the doors suddenly opened, Kagome jumped and Sesshomaru blinked, breaking the contact.

"Please…" He opened the door to his office, letting her precede him in. Jaken was sitting in one of the leather chairs, hands clasped together. He didn't turn in their direction until Sesshomaru walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Jaken-sama, Kagome has arrived to tell us of her decision." Jaken nodded and waited silently. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" When she shook her head, he motioned for her to sit down and he pulled another chair over from the conference table for himself.

"Before I say my decision, may I ask several questions?" Sesshomaru nodded. Kagome leaned over and took Jaken's hand, surprising both Jaken and Sesshomaru. "Jaken, why would you make such a sacrifice?" Jaken's mouth opened and shut several times, and she could tell he would have run around the room in little jerks if he'd felt well. Finally he gained his composure and answered her.

"Sesshomaru-sama has been in my care for his entire life. I took care of his father; I've taken care of him. However, Sesshomaru-sama has also become my friend over these last few hundred years. By letting Rin into our existences, he also showed me that feelings are not necessarily bad things, and our experience with Rin has softened both of us. I am old Kagome. I will not live to see too many more sunrises. It pleases me to sacrifice what time I have left if it will bring Sesshomaru-sama more happiness." He looked at Sesshomaru for a second, than looked back at Kagome. "It would also please me to bring you happiness. You have always treated Rin, and myself, kindly." He smiled for an instant, than went back to being his stoic, quiet self.

"Thank you Jaken, I needed to know that before I could continue." She patted his hand gently before turning to Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru, we have known each other a long time, time being relative and all." He nodded sagely. "Five hundred years is a lot of maturing. You told me that you didn't forgive InuYasha and learn to respect him as an equal until he was much older." He nodded. "If I agree to the second plan, how do you ensure that the Jidai Sesshomaru will keep your word? Ten years is hardly enough time to do anything, when one lives as long as you do."

"I do understand your dilemma. It is also one that slightly concerns this Sesshomaru." He stood up and walked over to his desk. "Rin will be of the age that she will have decided what I mean to her, and I will have finally realized what she means to me." Kagome's jaw dropped, Sesshomaru chuckled knowingly. "Yes Kagome, Rin was 16 when we made our commitments to each other. Not any older than you were when InuYasha was ripped from you. You knew you loved him at that age though." She nodded, still blushing. "If you had known that you would never see him again, I believe you would have made the same decisions Rin made, at the same age." Kagome got up and walked to the window, turning her back on him to stare sightless at the view.

"She was young in years Kagome, but look at what all she lived through as just a child. Rin grew up very early; it was her decision to stay with me. It was her decision to change our relationship. Ultimately, it was her decision for us to marry and be a family." He walked over to her and handed her a letter. "If you decide on the more perilous of the two choices, this is the letter that my younger self will be given by Jaken. I will make two copies, just in case my impetuous nature comes through and I tear up the first one."

Sesshomaru walked back over to the table and poured a cup of coffee. Both Sesshomaru and Jaken waited silently as Kagome started to read.

ooooooo

"Sesshomaru-sama, as you have noticed by the seal on the letter, and the age of your retainer, this is a letter from you, from time that has not yet happened. As long as you have known Jaken, you know that he is a loyal retainer, even though he has exhibited fear both of you, and for you. The year is irrelevant, it would take too long to explain the new calendar in this age. I will be brief and state 500 years have past since the day you will receive this letter.

I have sent Jaken back to you in order to fulfill several promises and help both myself, and someone who is also in this time with me. I will be as brief as possible, read this entire letter before coming to any conclusion. By this point, Rin will have made her desires known to you. (Believe me, I'm smiling at the memory of waking up in the middle of the night to her small hand on my chest and her lips on mine.) Please believe that this is only the beginning of a breathtaking relationship.

However, here is the crux of our dilemma. Rin is human, as we (both you and your future self) are aware. I could tell you exactly how many years she lived, but I won't. I will tell you that the time I spent with her was worth every moment of loss I continue to feel. I'm hoping you'll agree to the plan that was made by myself and this mystery person, of which I haven't informed you. It will benefit you Sesshomaru to listen and follow this advice.

Jaken is dying. He is much, much older than he would ever let you know. He figures he has merely days, and that's hoping he makes the journey through time. Housenki Jr. created a jewel that would allow one creature (youkai or human) to travel through time in one direction. In order to make that possible, you must seek out Housenki Jr. before the end of the era. He also made a second jewel that would allow Jaken to sacrifice his remaining time in order to endow Rin with youkai longevity. She will not live as long as I/you have; but she doesn't need to, you are already almost a thousand years old.

However, in order to make sure this transaction can happen smoothly, I have enlisted the help of the only one who can make sure the jewel used is completely pure. I would not have Rin altered in any way, and it would be possible for some of Jaken's less innocent personality to come through unless the jewel is pure. (By now, I know you know whom I speak of. Don't gnash your teeth; she's actually a good person).

Kagome (yes, InuYasha's Kagome) has purified the jewel so that Rin can remain who she is on the inside, while growing old as gracefully as you are. I do not know how long she will live; I wish I did. However, I will tell you that a single day longer than what I had will be an eternity of joy.

Kagome has made this decision at a great risk to herself. Since you now are beginning to understand love, and yes it only gets better from here, you can begin to gain a glimpse of the joy Kagome felt when around InuYasha. (No, don't ask me if they were intimate, I'm not willing to ask that question of her. Keep your thoughts pure, what you have with Rin is different, I can promise that)."

Kagome blushed wildly, hating the thought that Jidai Sesshomaru would have those thoughts. However, she kept reading.

"As you are aware, InuYasha traded his youkai powers to purify the Shikon no Tama and to have a normal life with Kagome. You are also aware that when they jumped into the well, one of them remained in his own time. You will not have the opportunity to get to know InuYasha as I have, so read closely. InuYasha is a good person. Although a little immature, he wanted the best for those he cared about. I spent some time with him after Rin died. He was the only one I knew who lost someone he loved as much as I loved Rin. I needed to find out how life continues. Sesshomaru had many, many more years ahead of me when Rin died.

InuYasha and yourself, although I'd never call us close brothers, did have several years in which to learn to respect each other. He once told us, 'My love is the feeling of a man who has been hardened by battle, but softened by an understanding that life can be fleeting and each moment should be lived.' That more than adequately describes exactly how I felt when I lost Rin. Although we are the older brother, InuYasha was far wiser than I.

Kagome has given up her chance to come back to your time and be with the man she loves in order for Sesshomaru to also find happiness. Jaken will pass his powers on to Rin, than he will quickly age and die. When he does, the gates to father's tomb will open, and he will be able to pas through. If InuYasha enters the gate with him, he will become dead. However, Tenseiga will be able to revive him. Kagome has put great trust in Sesshomaru that he will keep his promise to bring InuYasha back to the living world in this time so that InuYasha and Kagome may also find happiness.

In order to keep my word, I am sending this letter to you. You must make sure Housenki Jr. makes two jewels, one to return youkai and humans to this time, and another that allows a youkai to pass on longevity as a pure gift of love. You must also find Kagome in the present, exactly 10 years after she returns from your time. Give her the two choices, and then awaken InuYasha when she makes the second choice. It isn't right to leave her to suffer alone, so put any malicious thoughts out of your mind.

-Sesshomaru, you."

oooooooo

Kagome put aside the letter and said one word. "Hai."

ssssssssssss

A/N: It was very hard to write the letter from Sesshomaru to Sesshomaru. If I've missed something, please let me know.

Also, I know Sesshomaru is a little OOC, however, as I watched the later episodes, I noticed him softening quite a bit towards Rin, Kagome, and DogBreath. I imagine that 500 years and the love of a good woman would mellow him further. I've not received any overt flames from anyone, so I'm supposing that my thinking is believable.

Take care, and enjoy. –TK


	10. Preparations

**Disclaimer:** I do not own InuYasha. I do own a money pit that required 5 gallons of mudding compound and four hours of this evening. I also own the imagination that created this story based on Takahashi Rumiko's characters.

The next two days were busy for the three of them. Jaken had loose ends to tie up, he wasn't returning. Sesshomaru wanted to spend time with his advisor, he _had_ grown to respect the diminutive youkai. Kagome organized her world to make place for an extra person, and spent hours praying at the shrine.

On Wednesday, she met Sesshomaru and Jaken at the Bone-Eater's Well, all three of them were ready to finish this journey.

"Kagome…" Sesshomaru gently grabbed her wrist. "You do understand that I cannot guarantee that he will come back to you. My old self may not be willing, despite the letter. Something may happen in transfer between this time and the demon afterworld; or more likely, between the demon afterworld and this time."

Kagome looked into his golden eyes. "Do you still have Tenseiga?"

"Hai."

"Then even if something bad happens, it would be better to take the chance than to continue to live life as it is."

"You can still go back Kagome." He pulled her closer to his body, giving her a tight hug. "You love him, and you never had time with him. I had many years with Rin. Think about it."

She stared into his eyes, seeing the sadness that lurked behind the new gentler Sesshomaru. "Iie, I cannot. I could not live with myself if I gave up on your happiness selfishly for my own gains."

Sesshomaru slowly released her shoulders and backed away. "And that is why my brother has always loved you." As a shadow crossed over her visage, he continued. "Even over Kikyo."

"But…how do you know?" Kagome could feel the tightness and stinging in her eyes and hoped she wouldn't cry in front of this man.

"My brother explained that he couldn't move on with his life as long as Kikyo's eternal rest had been disturbed. As long as that part of her that was unique to her still walked the earth, he felt guilt and responsibility for making sure she was safe. He had decided long before Naraku was destroyed that you were his future. He was just too stubborn to let you know."

Kagome felt a crushing weight fall from her shoulders. She had never been able to truly resent Kikyo. Kagome hated it when InuYasha did not tell her what they spoke about when he was alone with Kikyo. However, she could not grow to hate the woman that shared part of her soul.

"Okay Sesshomaru, enough about this. How do we send Jaken back to the Sengoku Jidai?"

The next morning, Kagome awoke to rain falling steadily outside her window. "Oh well…that means there won't be many visitors to distract me from my thoughts today." Deciding to stay in bed for a few more minutes, she thought back over the strange events of the previous day.

oooooo

Sesshomaru had handed her two pearls, one white and one pink. He asked her to purify them to ensure the transfers would happen without a trace of evilness being involved. Then he told her to put the pink one in a leather pouch and tie it to Jaken's obi. They all walked down to the entrance to the bone-eater's well, and Kagome removed the spirit seal from the well opening.

In a rare display of kindness, Sesshomaru picked Jaken up and stood him on the edge of the well. "Are you sure you want to go through with this Jaken?"

Jaken smacked him lightly on the head. "Stupid boy, you should know by now that I'm no longer the sniveling servant who followed you around. No one makes me do this. My life is almost over, and shortening a long life to grant happiness to four people I care for, is my gift to myself." He looked at Kagome. "Hand me the jewel child, so I can start on my journey."

Kagome walked up to him and gave him a tight hug before handing him the jewel. "No matter what the results, please know that I honor your sacrifice." Jaken blinked once, nodded, then stepped back into nothingness. Kagome looked into the well, but it was empty. "I don't know if he made it to the Sengoku Jidai, but he is no longer here."

Sesshomaru smiled. "He made it. Let's go. I have work to do." He turned to leave.

"Sesshomaru?" He turned to look at her. "Will your part be dangerous?" He didn't answer. "I see. Is Rin truly here?" Sesshomaru smiled broadly. "Then go to her, I can wait a little longer." Before she could finish the words, Sesshomaru was gone.

sssssssss

A/N: Thank you for the many wonderful reviews so far! We're past the halfway point.

FYI: According to FanFiction rules, I am upping the rating on this to R with the next chapter because "An R may be assigned due to, among other things, a film's use of language, theme, violence, sex or its portrayal of drug use." I personally have read a LOT of PG-13 on this site that is worse than anything in the following chapters. However, I do not want to be banned, nor do I want to lose this story because the rating was not correct. Use your wisdom judiciously. -TK


	11. The Visitor

It was after lunch the next day when a beautiful woman with short black hair and wide happy eyes showed up at the Shrine. Kagome walked out to greet her, and asked her if she would like to come out of the rain. The woman's eyes had laugh lines around them, but the silver lines in her hair betrayed that she was older than her happy face appeared.

"Are you Kagome Higarashi?" Kagome nodded while opening the screen door. The woman suddenly held out a hand. "You have barely changed since the last time I saw you."

Immediately, Kagome realized who she was looking at. "Rin?" Rin nodded. "Why aren't you with Sesshomaru?"

"He went to find InuYasha."

"But the journey is dangerous, and you just got here yesterday." Rin chuckled as she sat Kagome down and proceeded to fix her a cup of tea.

"Kagome, time changed for the two of us the instant Jaken appeared. Sessho was only here yesterday because the second note yesterday's Sessho wrote said he needed to be here to complete the Infinity Loop. Whatever that means." Rin shook her head, space-time continuum theory was Sesshomaru's field, she just lived to make him happy, and to grow orchids. "If it makes you feel any better, he did come back and make passionate love to this Rin until we both fell asleep exhausted around eight this morning." She handed Kagome a fresh cup of Yunnan Tea and took a seat.

Kagome looked at her watch, it was 1:15pm. She blushed as she looked up at the woman calmly sitting in front of her.

"Oh, don't worry, we didn't sleep long. He woke me up for one last interlude before leaving on his own journey. He recommended I visit you." Rin smiled in memory, then realized this young woman had only a week ago thought Sesshomaru was evil. Suddenly she looked over and noticed Kagome's red face. "Goodness, I've embarrassed you. That is why he keeps Rin at home. I don't watch what I say." She leaned forward suddenly. "Rin promises that Sessho is a good person now. It just took him a while to figure out his new place in the world." She stood. "I should probably go, I've outstayed my welcome."

"No, please. Tell me how you came to be standing in front of me. According to Sesshomaru, you died sixty-two years after you met. I want to know what happened to change this." Kagome couldn't help but add… "Rin?" Rin looked at her. "Please don't ever tell me any details about sex between Sesshomaru and yourself. An amorous Sesshomaru is not a mental image I want to think about."

Rin laughed, sat back down, and started talking.

oooooo

Today's Jaken showed up at Sessho's castle on the back of Ah-Un. We were both very surprised, because Jaken had taken leave to travel to a distant relative and would be gone for several weeks. He talked with Jidai Sessho, for a very long time. I was bored." She laughed. "Seems like yesterday. Sessho and I had just figured out where we stood with each other, or at least I had told him where we stand with each other."

Kagome ignored the small bite of jealousy at Rin's expressed happiness. "That night, Sessho explained why today's Jaken was there, and told me that I had until we reached the Demon Gate to make my decision. It wasn't hard, and Rin had already decided before we even found InuYasha."

Kagome grabbed her sleeve. "You found InuYasha? Was he okay? Tell me!"

Rin smiled. _Young love_. "He was fine. However, we all had to get to the Demon Gate before today's Jaken died. When we reached the gate, Jaken asked me my decision. I told him, and he said Rin needed to take the leather pouch off of his obi and carefully put the pink pearl in my hand. I did, and it was both warm and calming. Jaken then put his hands around mine, and the jewel glowed as he transferred all of his remaining power to Rin as life. After a few minutes, the glow dimmed and Jaken was breathing his last breath. As soon as he died, the gates opened, and Sessho stood beside InuYasha with Toukijin. He told InuYasha that in order to find you, he had to trust his big brother. InuYasha looked him straight in the face, and nodded. Sessho then stabbed him with Toukijin, and he died. Sessho carried both Jaken and InuYasha into the Demon Afterworld and hid their bodies in a safe place. Then Sessho made a promise before the two sentinels that he would be back to retrieve InuYasha."

oooooo

Kagome had tears running down her face. "He died to be with me?"

Rin smiled sadly. "Yes. But if it works, isn't it a small price to pay?" Rin caught Kagome's arms. "Come on. Dry your eyes, and get dressed. You're going to stay with Rin until Sessho comes back."

"No. I will wait here and pray. You may also do so, but that is your choice." Kagome then walked to Go-Shimboku, put her back against the trunk, and meditated. She had talked with InuYasha once before through the tree, and she was comforted by the memory.

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A/N: Thank you again for the wonderful reviews! I do not know if I will have time to update again before Christmas. I am hosting Christmas this year, and I still have crown molding and baseboard to put up, caulk, and paint before Friday.

IF I do not update, I hope that everyone who is reading this fiction has a wonderful Christmas! To my reviewers, I will be checking emails, so if you have comments, I will receive those. Proofing and submitting takes considerably longer time than checking reviews.

Merry Christmas all! -TK


	12. Waiting

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Christmas. I also do not own Takahashi Rumiko's InuYasha, nor do I own any of her characters. I do own the chemical synapses that allowed me to write this story.

Four days passed before Rin came back to the shrine. Kagome was still leaning against Go-Shimboku, but she had lost weight. Rin was appalled at how bad Kagome looked. Taking action, she grabbed her by the wrist, and pulled her up. When Kagome tried to fight her, Rin smacked her across the face. "Snap out of it. Rin has been around for 500 years, I'm too old to be fighting with someone as young as you." Kagome thought that was funny since Rin had been 6 years old just a few years ago. Her laughter caused Rin to laugh too, having just realized the same thing; and they both walked into the house still chuckling.

"Old huh?" Kagome smiled as she put the teapot on to boil. "How old are you in respect to how long you could live?"

Rin thought for a moment, then smiled. "I don't know. This Rin was supposed to die over 400 years ago. Jaken's gift of longevity could have been for a day, or a thousand years. I'm hoping there's a codicil to his gift that would allow this Rin to live as long as Sessho, but no longer. He dies, Rin dies." Kagome looked shocked. "Miko, stop being surprised by life. When you have had many wonderful years with a man that shows you how much you are loved with both his body and spirit, life without him is worse than death with him." Rin placed two cups of tea on the table, and sat down across from Kagome.

"I wasn't shocked by what you said." Kagome clarified. "Sesshomaru basically said the same thing once. That is what shocked me. You both are very similar."

Rin looked at the young woman sitting before her, and realized that she was the only one who knew what the old Sesshomaru was like. Rin had died, and Sessho had continued to live. Curious, she asked. "Tell me what that Sesshomaru was like, Kagome. Was he bitter, was he sad, did he even know Rin existed?"

Kagome chuckled. "Nothing like good honest words from a curious woman to make me forget about my worries. Since I can do nothing to find out about InuYasha's current situation, at least I can entertain you with a story."

"I will start by asking you how you could even ask a question about whether Sesshomaru thought you existed. He moved time for you. He did things that only God should have the power to do. The Sesshomaru I met two weeks ago first appeared to be a cold businessman. However, he took me to his apartment to dry off, and pointed me to the back room. While I was changing, I noticed a beautiful oil painting of an older woman. She was dressed in a floral kimono, her graying hair pulled back in the traditional style. After I walked back into his office area, I asked him about her. He only replied that she was the only woman he'd ever loved."

Rin felt tears come to her eyes. It saddened her that the old Sessho had not loved again. Maybe if he had…no, it was meant to happen this way.

"He told me the story of the two of you. I admire your bravery in expressing your desire for him. Maybe if I'd done the same with InuYasha, our path could have been different."

Rin smiled coyly. "As much as Rin loves Sessho, he is one DENSE youkai. I all but threw myself at him for a year before giving up and taking the less honorable, more direct, approach. I once saw you touch InuYasha on the shoulder, and noticed the way he would scoot away from you as if he was afraid to get too close. Sessho did the same thing to me. I sat there and laughed at him. Rin knew exactly what was running through that man's mind."

"He'd thought of Rin as a child up to that point, but I knew the love was there. I just had to make him realize Rin was not a child. More importantly, Rin was not HIS child, so physical love was not incest in our case. I think that he had a problem with that for a minute or two. But suddenly, something clicked in his head. I saw it happen. One instant, he was trying to crawl out from under me, the next, he had his hand on the back of my head, deepening my kiss in a way Rin could never have imagined."

Kagome looked at Rin, she was blushing. _A five-hundred year old woman blushing. How very strange._

"Rin knows that you would rather not hear the details, but I will tell you that night forever changed our relationship. It wasn't very many days after that before he had me standing before a priest, exchanging vows. We never had any children. We didn't prevent, nor did we actively seek, to have them. Sessho had already experienced his fatherhood by raising me, and Rin is still a child in many ways; so I don't believe either of us has missed anything by that. It doesn't matter now, Rin is too old to have children, I think."

"So, now that you have heard all about this Rin, tell me about you. I have heard many stories from InuYasha, half of which I know he has to be making up." She smiled broadly. "He once told me that as a Hanyou, he was under a spell that would allow you to subdue him by saying 'sit boy.' Rin knows he had to be lying."

"Heh…well…" Kagome laughed. "Actually, the word is Osuwari, and I used it to good measure." She leaned closer. "Once he was sitting in a tree above my head. We had first met the day before, and I was explaining to him that if he caused me any trouble, I would just say "Osuwari" and he would be subdued. However, when I said that, he was pulled off the limb and ended up face-down beside me. If I'd been any closer, he'd have ended up in my lap, and then we both would have been mad. I apologized, but I don't think he accepted it that day."

"He used to make me SO mad! He'd go off with his first love, Kikyo, and not tell me what they talked about. I was angrier about him not being honest about his discussions than I was about him going off with her. I mean, she had been reformed out of clay. If he wanted to screw around with a clay doll, I didn't want to know. I did want to know what they talked about. I loved him for his mind and personality, not because of his body. I wanted to know what he shared with her, because he wouldn't share that part of himself with me."

"So he'd come back from a meeting with Kikyo, tell me they didn't talk about anything. Or worse, tell me he couldn't find her. I'd Osuwari him until he called me a bitch, then I'd Osuwari him again until I knew I had enough time to get away from him. I wonder if he still has that necklace, and if it still works."

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A/N: Merry Christmas!  
For my reviewers who feel my chapters are too short, I have already completed this story; but I will certainly take this under consideration for my next one.  
However, what consists of a good chapter length? Please let me know.


	13. Sesshomaru Returns

**Disclaimer:** I do not own InuYasha, Rumiko Takahashi does. I do own a completely trashed money pit, and I'm procrastinating on doing the dishes since I'm the dishwasher. So, two chapters in the same day.

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From Chapter 12: "I wonder if he still has that necklace, and if it still works."

"Wouldn't you just like to find out." came a voice from the door that Kagome thought she'd never hear again. Afraid to turn, she looked at Rin, who was staring at the person standing in the door and grinning from ear to ear. Slowly, Kagome turned and looked.

"Sesshomaru…not quite who I expected." Kagome felt nauseous. Her heart had been pounding so strongly, and her adrenaline was so high, that seeing him instead of InuYasha caused her to almost go into shock.

Rin ran to him. "Sessho…Rin was so worried about you. Please don't ever do anything like that again!"

Sesshomaru tucked her against his body and put his arm around her waist. "I won't ever have to." He looked at Kagome, who was looking back at him with confusion. "Well…try it. See if it works." It took her a second to comprehend what he meant.

"OSUWARI!!!"

_**Thwak!**_

The sound came from directly behind her. She turned, and lying on the floor was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen.

"InuYasha!!!"

InuYasha was getting off the floor and smiling back at her. "Kagome I presume!?!" He looked at her. She was a decade older, and had lost much of her childish appeal. However, it had been replaced by an adult sensuality that made him inwardly groan. "Stand up, let me look at you." He stood, taking her hands and raising her to stand before him.

She let him turn her around completely, before she wrapped her hands around his waist and squeezed tightly. "I thought I'd never see you again." Tears were seeping down her face, wetting his hakama. He held her tightly, breathing in the fragrant scent of her hair. "Let me look at you too." Kagome pulled away to look at InuYasha.

Time had caused his hair to turn the black of a full human, but that didn't surprise her. However, his body had filled out into a man's frame; and his face had matured making him look much more handsome than cute. He still wore his fire-rat hakama, but he wore _it_ instead of it wearing _him_. InuYasha was still the same height, and he still looked to be fit, but she knew it would take them a while to learn the more subtle changes in each other.

She turned to thank Sesshomaru, but they had already left. "We can thank them later Kagome, we know where they live."

ooooooo

He took her hand and led her outside to stand in front of Go-Shimboku. "I felt you here Kagome." He touched their joined hands to the trunk.

"I was trapped in the afterworld. Dead, and waiting. I had just about given up hope. Once that happens, than a human spirit trapped in the Demon Spirit-World is sent on to heaven, or hell. However, I felt you talking to me. Telling me not to give up. I remembered the last time we spoke through this tree, and how I told you I spoke back because I was afraid you'd Osuwari me. I lied." He grinned, showing slightly larger incisors than a normal human's, but smaller than they previously had been.

"I knew I loved you that day. I had made a decision to face my death at your hands rather than live without you. Now this tree has helped bring me back from death a second time. Only God can grant life, the Tenseiga is only a tool used to facilitate His power. Sesshomaru knew that if I didn't want to come back, he'd be unable to resurrect me. It took him most of a day to find my body, I wasn't where he'd hidden me. Housenki Sr. took my body to protect it. He actually encased me, which prevented me from aging even a day."

"I'd love more than anything to take you up to that room where you sleep, and love you with all the passion I feel. However, I know that would not be the right thing to do. Regardless of how much we've missed each other, it _has_ been 10 years, and we have both changed. How about if we find a nice hill to sit on, and talk about everything that has happened to us since that day."

Kagome nodded and shyly took his hand. This man was not the boy she'd left behind. Maybe if he'd been able to come through the well, things wouldn't have changed; but she knew that time stood still for no man. "I know the perfect place."

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A/N: DogBoy finally shows up - bout time. Can't believe it took him 13 chapters! I hope 13 isn't a sign of trouble up ahead for the couple. They deserve a break.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I finally got rid of the hoarde. It's so nice and quiet now, no radio, no TV, no half-deaf people yelling at each other. The dogs are gone, the loud toys are gone. It's just the sound of fingers typing on a keyboard. May you experience peace too. Whether it's found in silence or in noise. -TK


	14. Confessions

**Disclaimer:**

A InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

B This fanfic belongs to me.

C This fanfic does not belong to Rumiko Takahashi

Therefore since A is not equal to C _and_ B is not equal to C, A is not equal to B. AKA, I'm not Rumiko Takahashi.

Although Tokyo is a busy metropolis, there are still places one can go to find solitude. A few minutes later, they were sitting on a hill, looking out over part of the town. It wasn't like in the Sengoku Jidai, there were always people around now. However, there was as much privacy to be had by talking amongst strangers as talking alone. They sat, two people isolated by lost time, while others walked in a steady stream. _One of us is going to have to start this conversation_ Kagome thought.

"Might as well be me." InuYasha looked at her, a question in his eyes. "I might as well start talking. Ojiisan died several years ago, and I took over the responsibilities of the shrine. Souta went off to University last year, and Okaasan is still working in her normal job. Besides running into Sesshomaru in the last two weeks, and occasional dinners with Houjou, I've been relatively a homebody."

InuYasha tried to contain his anger. He'd not been a saint since she left either, but Sesshomaru had been given strict orders not to give her the letter if she was with someone. "Are you seeing Houjou?"

Kagome looked at him, but he was lazily leaning on his hands and watching her with little curiosity. "No, but we've been friends for a long time, and we both enjoy having someone to eat dinner with. He's married to my friend Eri, and she travels on business. Eri knows we occasionally have dinner together, she initially set it up so neither of us would be lonely." She thought he sighed in relief, but she couldn't be sure. He was less emotional now and it was hard to read him.

"When we were both younger, I had to deal with your childish jealousy quite often. Is that going to happen here?" She looked him eye-to-eye, and hoped he'd be more mature.

He thought for a few moments. "Ten years have passed. I don't think either of us has become chaste in the absence of the other. I will understand any relationships you had before today. I don't think I will understand any future…Kagome?" Kagome's face was very red. She was glaring at him under her bangs.

"You don't think either of us was chaste… As in, you don't think either of us waited for the other?!?" She was breathing very deeply now. "So..what you're saying is that you gave up on me coming back, and didn't wait?" He blinked, realizing he'd opened a chasm of problems for himself. "Exactly what did you mean by that, Dog Boy?" She growled the last part, and InuYasha for the first time ever wished he could take back something he said.

"Heh…" He looked at his feet, hoping the cute confused look would work. When he cut a glance over to her, it hadn't. He could almost see the anger emanating from her body. "I think you misunderstand the importance of certain things." Uh, that wasn't a good thing to say either. "Well…" sweat drops appeared on his forehead, and he actually understood how Miroku must have felt when he'd bumped heads with Sango. "You know how emotional I used to get during the new moon. All these feelings and shit that I never understood." He stood and paced. "Well, imagine me becoming human, for the rest of my life. I was swamped with feelings, not all unpleasant." He grinned salaciously, but froze when he realized that wasn't working either. "So, you weren't there. You'd left, there was no way for you to come back." He looked at her under his bangs. _Cute is definitely NOT working._ "I waited a whole year Kagome, that's forever!"

"O….SU……WA……RI!" She glared at him, and he glared back. "OSUWARI, OSUWARI, OSUWARI!!!!!" He was trying not to laugh, but he did smirk. Kagome stomped a foot. "Why isn't it working????"

"Because I'm no longer part demon. I'm just a plain human, as human as they get." He actually felt sorry for her. She was so upset that tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.

"But…at the house." She looked at him with big pooling eyes. "Osuwari worked there."

InuYasha took pity on her and grabbed her in a bear hug. She fought him like a tigress, not wanting any contact with a man who hadn't honored their feelings by waiting, forever if needed. He didn't let go. She kicked, screamed, and hit him. Passersby looked in horror, but he just shook his head and they moved on. It was obvious she wasn't being abused, and since he didn't stop his punishment, there was nothing they could do. Finally she calmed down, or at least was too exhausted to fight any longer. He lowered them back to the ground, holding her tightly in his lap as he tried to explain.

"I dropped and ate dirt for you. Not because Osawari worked, but because it was the least shocking, most visible way of letting you know I made it here." He gently brushed her bangs back from her face and traced the tracks of her tears with a thumb. "Men are different than women, Kagome. I believe that women decide that if they can't be with the one they love, than they'll be with no one." Well, she was either accepting this, or too tired to fight. Better to get it all out now. "Men typically aren't. I might have been if not for the fact that I'd had none of those feelings, except on full moon nights." He chucked her chin, but she wouldn't make eye contact. "Look at me Kagome." Finally she looked at him, and could see the honesty of what he was saying.

"You know as well as I do how hard it was for me to keep away from you on full-moon nights. My feelings overwhelmed me, and it was all I could do to control myself. I couldn't kill, Tessaiga didn't transform, and the other side of that aggression is passion. You were gone, you weren't coming back and we both knew that; and I was filled with all that emotion and aggression without being able to find a release. Our group split up and went separate ways, Shippo went to live with Miroku and Sango, and I went to live by myself. I was lost for a long time, just wandering the countryside, trying to find a way to keep existing."

"I'd basically quit living when we were separated, so that left me only existing. Soon after you left, on the next new moon in fact, I found sake. It was a wonderful numbing agent for a while. That's what caused me to break my vow that I would be with no woman except you." Kagome started struggling again, and InuYasha tightened his hold. "If I don't come clean with you, we have no future. Please let me finish while I still can. The past is something I cannot erase, and I won't continue to live with the guilt you are forcing me to carry"

"One night the barmaid had black hair and deep brown eyes. She looked a lot like you, but I wasn't tempted. However, I continued to drink sake, and at one point she put on my haori to see how it looked. That's when I lost my vow to myself. She looked just like you used to, wearing my haori. Her black hair shone on the shoulders of my shirt, and for an instant I was reminded of our first battle, with Yuri. Before I knew it, we were in a back room, and I had done something I couldn't erase." He let her go when she struggled.

Kagome walked off a distance, but not far enough she couldn't hear his whispered, "You waited didn't you?" She hung her head and crossed her arms in a protective gesture. If she squeezed tight enough, maybe the pain would quit. He came up behind her and brushed her hair off her shoulder. "Men are different than women, women are stronger." He gently wrapped his arms around hers, pulling her back against his hard chest. He whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry, if I'd known this was possible, I'd have waited despite the physical pain I would have endured."

"Pain?" She turned and looked at him in confusion.

"Yes, having desire for someone and not doing anything about it, hurts. It hurts very badly. The first six months I hurt every day for you. After six months, I figured some things out on my own, and it got a little better." He smiled, but not pleasantly. "The night I succumbed to my desires, I thought I was with you. I screamed your name as I came. When I woke up the next morning and realized what happened, I was physically sick. I wanted to die for a week or two. Miroku finally pulled me out of my depression."

InuYasha smiled at the memory. "I'd been wandering the countryside, trying to forget what had happened, when out of nowhere, I was hit up-side the head with a staff. The man was chanting strange words, and throwing fukas at me. When I didn't even look up, the bastard tripped me. I looked up in anger to see Miroku holding his sides and laughing. I tried to pound him, but he was still lightning quick."

"I didn't really have anyone else I could talk to, so I asked him if we could talk privately. We were already pretty private, there was no one else around, so he knew what I meant. We found a quiet place and sat. He listened to everything I had to say, what I'd done, my feelings about how I'd betrayed you, and other things." InuYasha blushed, and Kagome looked at him with curiousity.

"What things?"

"Uh…guy things." InuYasha blushed, and Kagome grabbed his ear tightly. "Owww!" She didn't let go. "Okay, sex things. I had never had sex before that night. I had a lot of questions."

"Such as…" Kagome was feeling evil, and she knew this was not something he wanted to talk with her about.

_Oh boy, no way am I going to be able to have this discussion without repercussions._ InuYasha thought. "Uh…birds and bees, you know."

"I do?" She jabbed his ribs. "I waited, remember? Why don't you just explain some of these birds and bees things to me!"

"Why did you wait anyways?" InuYasha let go and stepped away from her. "You didn't believe I'd come back."

"Because I love you, baka." She turned and walked back to the shrine.

_Love…as in present tense? Not Loved, but Love._ "Kagome, wait!" InuYasha ran after her. She stopped when he caught up.

"Yes?" She was shocked when InuYasha got down on both knees and took her hands in his.

"I can promise that from the moment I entered Demon Gate, to the moment I die, there will only be you."

"Even if I die?" InuYasha nodded. "Tomorrow?" He gulped, but nodded again.

Kagome went down on her knees and grabbed him around the neck, placing a tight kiss on his mouth. "Take me home."


	15. Sweet & Sour

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. I'm not Rumiko Takahashi.

This chapter has lemons. Hell, this chapter IS a lemon. Don't read if you're not the fruity kind of person. The plot will not advance in this chapter, InuYasha and Kagome just become intimate, which does advance their relationship. Feel free to skip on to the next chapter.

InuYasha couldn't believe his ears. "Did you just say 'Take me home'?" Kagome rested a hand on his chest, while putting another one on his cheek. She kissed him deeply, then nodded. "As in…home, to your room, to your bed, and not to sleep?" She blushed deeply, but nodded again. "Uh…you do know what you're doing?"

Kagome laughed lightly. "Technically, no. But you do. You've had sex with substitutes, make love with the genuine article. Maybe I can drive them out of your mind."

"Who?" InuYasha picked her up and ran towards the Shrine, Kagome laughing lightly in his ear.

"You know who." She couldn't help but flirt with him by running her finger gently in the shell of his ear. When he shuddered, and quit running to catch his breath, she was secretly delighted.

"I only ever had sex with your memory." He was heavily hard, and was terrified he'd ruin their first experience.

"Then let me replace a lousy memory." They'd reached the gate of the shrine. Kagome wished he could still leap up to her window, it'd be quicker. "Oh good," She sighed, "we're the only ones home."

"Is your Onaasan expected back tonight?" He elbowed open the door, and started up the stairs. When she shook her head, he sighed in relief. It was one thing to deflower this virgin, but to do it within hearing distance of said virgin's mother… InuYasha didn't have that kind of gall, even if it was Kagome.

He placed her on the bed, than laid down beside her. "Do you have any idea what is going to happen?"

Kagome blushed, but nodded. He sighed in relief and she chuckled. "I'm not a little girl anymore, just an inexperienced woman." She ran a hand in his haori, touching his strong chest.

"And not a very shy one either, I see." He grinned at her, and opened the buttons on her shirt, exposing her bra. "I like this, I've seen you wear this before, what is it?"

"A bra. It supports my…" He put his hands around each one of her breasts and leaned down to kiss what was exposed above the cups.

"I see. It does a VERY good job too!" He nudged down the cup of one, and kissed the areola, causing her to arch off the bed. "Mmm, like that huh?"

She grabbed his hair and pulled his head back. "I'm glad we waited. If we'd done this when you were still…"

"Emotionally immature… a total smart ass… still a Hanyou." Kagome shuddered at the thought of what sex with a hanyou would have been like. He understood. "I'm still me, nothing's changed in that area. I'm just wiser, more patient, and less likely to screw things up by saying something stupid." She smiled at his understanding and pulled his face down to hers.

"Enough talking." She kissed him roughly, taking the initiative to use her tongue.

"Mmmm…" was all he got out in response.

He was quick when it came to divesting her of her clothing, and a Haori and Hakama didn't take long when a woman was determined enough. Before they had time to comprehend it, they were once again lying side-by-side, but naked. 

"Kagome…" he grunted as they touched flesh to flesh. "In about a minute, changing my mind is going to be real tough. Are you SURE you want this?"

"Umm…yes…with one condition…" She was blushing scarlet. Reaching between the mattress and the box springs, she pulled out a condom. "You have to wear this, at least until we've gotten you tested for diseases. I've been reading up on the diseases of the Sengoku Jidai, and I don't want them."

"Diseases…tested…" he snagged the package out of her hand. "What the hell is this?!?" He looked at it quizzically.

"It's called a condom. It'd be better if I showed you." She took the package from him and tried to squirm out from under him. "You're going to have to let me up for a second." At the look on his face, she chuckled. "I'll be right back there when I'm done."

He growled, but pushed off the bed with his arms, giving her enough room to slither out, while enjoying the brush of her breasts against his chest while she did so.

"Before you ask…I had to learn how to do this in school. But we practiced on a banana." InuYasha's eyebrows shot up, and Kagome had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. She had to admit it sounded pretty funny. She took the package between her teeth and ripped it open.

"So you eat it?" Kagome almost choked.

"No! You wear it." He was watching her intensely. "InuYasha…"

He looked at her face and couldn't help but feel pleased by how embarrassed she was. He didn't know what all was involved with this 'kon-dou-ma,' but he knew it wasn't something she was comfortable doing. If it involved touching his body, which he had a feeling it did, he wanted Kagome to be new enough at this that it was embarrassing. Hoping she couldn't hear his thoughts, he noticed she was staring at his member. "Kagome…" He sat up suddenly. "What's wrong?"

She pointed at his penis. "That's not a banana!" _A…banana?_ InuYasha thought looking down at his lap. "That's MUCH bigger than a banana!" She looked at the thing in her hand, then back at him. "I'm supposed to put THIS on THAT?!?" She put her hands over her eyes. "It can't be done. I bought the wrong size." Then suddenly something occurred to her. "THAT is supposed to fit in ME?" She started backing away. "Oh no, we're going to have to rethink this whole thing."

InuYasha snagged her hand before she could get too far from the bed. "Kagome…" He wished Miroku was here, he'd know what to do… _what the hell am I thinking? I don't want that letch looking at Kagome. I don't want that letch even thinking about Kagome._ "Tell me what's wrong." He looked at THAT again, and THAT didn't look so scary to him. None of the substitutes he'd been with had ever complained. Of course, they'd done this before. _Well, at least I can take care of this kondouma thing._ "Kagome, tell me what I'm supposed to do with that thing in your hand."

Kagome looked down at the condom that she was squeezing the life out of. _Surely I can do this much. If nothing else, I'll figure out how to give him a blow job._ "Okay, you pinch this" she pointed to the center of condom "just a little so it won't break, then you take it and put it on THAT" she pointed at his member, which was very excited to be in the conversation again. It twitched, which caused her to flinch, which caused him to roll his eyes, which was not the right thing to do at that moment. "Oh forget it. If you think I'm going to do you any favors while you're mocking me, you are SO wrong, dog boy!"

"Kagome, listen. I can't help the natural responses of my body. If it makes you feel any better, I've seen the THAT's of other guys at bath houses, and I'm not different." She relaxed a little and handed him the condom.

"I'll tell you if you do anything wrong." She blushed as he worked to put the condom on. He wasn't a professional condom applier; but it was okay, and her nerves couldn't handle starting over. "That was good."

InuYasha was sweating and panting. That was NOT fun. He didn't know what kind of testing was needed, he would rather slice open a vein than have to read one of her baka books, but he'd do anything it took not to have to go through that again. "Now that we're finished with this, can we go back to where we were before the kon-dou-ma experience?"

Kagome almost corrected his vocabulary, but realized he was pretty close to losing it. She had a memory of InuYasha trying to stay in control while his demon side took over. Besides the red eyes, he'd not looked much different. Hoping she had the guts to go through with this, she got back on the bed. "Umu, you were on top last time."

He smiled. "You can be on top for a while. Maybe I won't be so scary if you're pinning me down instead of the other way." She stretched out on him, and he took a minute to run his hands up and down her back and sides, memorizing every fraction of every inch. He took a moment to fondle and squeeze her butt, causing her to catch her breath and squirm on him.

"I like this." She licked his chest and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Maybe it won't be as bad as I'm making it."

He brought his hands up and brushed the hair away from her face. He gently lowered her face to his and kissed her lips. "I don't know about the first time, Miroku told me the first time for women can be painful, and Sango seconded that." He remembered the glare she sent to Miroku before she started blushing. "But she also said it was very worth it." That's when Miroku walked over to her, picked her up, and they disappeared for the rest of the night.

"Can we have sex in this position?" She blushed. "The first time I mean. I'm not that naive." He nodded. She sighed languorously. "Show me."

He did.

It wasn't the most comfortable thing she'd ever done, but as she lay in his arms, both of them recovering, she thought that Sango had the gist of it. "It was very worth it." She sighed and went to sleep.

InuYasha got through it with only a few minor claw marks on his shoulders and back. The first set of claw marks were from his initial penetration, and the breaking of her hymen. The set he proudly wore on his back came from when he'd been on top and she'd demanded him to go faster and harder. He hadn't initially complied, so she dug her nails in until he moved the way she wanted him to. As he felt her relax into sleep, he thought about what she'd said earlier. _Maybe I can drive them out of your mind._ "Oh baby," he whispered, "did you ever!"

End of lemon. Come on, fourteen chapters, and no hentai? Couldn't do that to myself, or the readers. Back to the story now.


	16. Finding a Job

**Disclaimer:** Takahashi Rumiko owns InuYasha. The loose resemblance of any other characters in this fic belong to Nightrow Yasuhiro. My mind belongs to me, that makes me the poorest of the three.

The next morning, Kagome woke to a warm arm holding her anchored to a warmer body. She felt very safe, very embarrassed, and somewhat sore. _What do I say? Do we just go on as before? Does this change everything? How do I act?"_ She started tensing up.

"Calm down Kagome. Last night was last night. It was the single most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. We'll continue to take one day at a time, and see what happens." He tightened his arm, and she could tell THAT was awake and happy. However, before she could tell him she thought they should wait to have sex again, he kissed her shoulder, and got out of bed.

"Come on, we can share the bath." At her arched eyebrow, he smiled at her suspicious gaze. "Miroku told me that Sango and he share a bath often." He raised his eyebrow in imitation of Miroku's lecherous gaze. "Come my pretty lady, a bath would be relaxing for me, doubly so if you were in it too." He playfully grabbed her hand, pulling her out of bed. "Please, let me honor you by allowing you to lead, beautiful lady."

Kagome laughed. "But then you'll be looking at my naked butt."

InuYasha pretended to think for a moment. "Ah, I see the truth in that. Oh well, what a sacrifice I must make!" They both laughed, breaking the tension of the morning after.

After their shower, Kagome showed InuYasha how to make ramen. "If you're going to live in my time, you're going to have to learn how to cook for yourself." She put her hands on her waist, looking just like she used to. "I'm not going to cook and clean for you all the time!" As he put the food on the table, she complimented him for a job well done, and they both started eating. He wasn't too bad with the ramen, but the eggs were burnt, and crunchy, which meant he didn't get all the shells out. _Oh well,_ Kagome thought. _I guess that's a lesson for another day._

"InuYasha," Kagome leaned forward and looked at him intently.

"Keh?" He was still eating noodles like they were on the endangered species list.

'We need to find you a job. What can you do besides fight and kill things?"

"Mmm phm hmpm" he muttered in between bites of ramen.

Kagome reached over and caught his chopsticks before he could put the next bite in his mouth.

"FEH!"

"What did you just say, mumble boy???" He glared but answered.

"I can make swords." She released his chopsticks and he pulled them out of her way. Picking up his bowl of noodles, he moved across the room, glaring at her.

"I started working for Toutosai after you went through the well." He looked at her with sad eyes. "Not exactly the same day, I waited for a day or two first." _No way am I telling her I sat next to the well for two months, until Miroku and Sango dragged me off and helped put me together again._

"Was it one, or two?" She was glaring at him and he could feel the sweat gathering on his forehead.

"Damn you're scary! It was more than two." He put his breakfast down and walked over to her. Gently putting his hands on her cheeks, he looked her in the eyes. "It was definitely more than two. I waited until I KNEW you weren't coming back. Then I waited some more. Finally other people had to get me to see that I had to keep living, because that's what you would have wanted." He sighed in relief when she calmed down and was no longer glaring daggers at him. Turning back to his meal, he added, "don't ask again, I won't admit we ever had this conversation."

Kagome's heart warmed. _Okay, so ten years hadn't changed him THAT much. Now to get him a job so we can move on to our happily ever after_. "InuYasha?"

He looked up from the tasty chicken flavored noodles. They were almost gone, and he was delaying the moment he'd have no more diversionary tactics. He waved his chopsticks for her to continue.

"I have a friend who is looking for a good sword smith. I think we need to go there and find out if he'll hire you. You might have to start as an apprentice…" at his glare, she smiled "however, if you show him how good you are, he'll promote you to master smith quickly."

He finished the last bite, glad they had a plan. "Okay, let's go." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the house.

"Wait! Unless you plan to carry me the whole way…" His eyes grew large at the thought, he hated to admit he'd lost most of his strength by becoming human. "We're going to need the car. My keys are inside." He smiled in relief and opened the door to let her back in.

Twenty minutes later, they were standing at the doors to a warehouse-style building. KatanaWorks® was hammered in copper into the door and there was an elaborate iron scroll handle. InuYasha was impressed by the workmanship, but was reserving judgment until he saw how well the swords were made. Kagome pushed an intercom button, and a voice came out, startling InuYasha. "Can I help you?"

"Kagome Higurashi here to see Erik Ryonuko." Something buzzed, and Kagome pulled open the door. They walked into a big showroom that had an entire wall covered in swords of various designs and materials. There was a young lady sitting behind a desk looking attentively at the visitors. InuYasha walked over to the wall and took great delight in looking at the various styles of swords while Kagome talked with the receptionist. "Is Erik here?" The lady nodded, then picked up the phone. InuYasha had just completed his perusal when a tall thin man with spiky blonde hair and glasses walked out. Holding out his hand, he walked straight to Kagome.

"Kagome! What a pleasure to see you! I haven't seen you since my list visit to the shrine. I get such inspiration there!" Kagome smiled into his blue eyes. He was such a corker!

"Erik, I have someone I would like you to meet." She looked over at InuYasha, who was glaring at Erik. "InuYasha, please come over here, this is Erik Ryonuko, and he owns KatanaWorks." InuYasha gently placed a scimitar back on its holder and walked over to shake the man's hand. He turned and pointed at a large weapon that looked to be the size of a small person. "What is that?"

Erik smiled and walked over to the sword. "It's called a Claymore. The Scottish used it during medieval times. You don't know much about swords do you?"

"Feh. That's not the type of sword I'm used to making." Erik tilted his head and looked at him strangely.

"You make swords?" He pushed his glasses back up his nose and looked at InuYasha more carefully.

"Yes. That's why we're here. To see if I can make swords for you." Erik looked at Kagome, who was blushing furiously.

"Um, I was not going to be so blunt, but I am wondering if you need some help." She was holding her hands tightly, embarrassment in every fiber of her being.

Erik smiled and patted the shorter man on the back, winking at Kagome as he did so. "Sure, if you know what you're doing. But I'll warn you," he looked at InuYasha over the rims of his glasses "I'm picky. That's why I work alone. I only accept the best." He turned to look at his receptionist. "Millie, I'll be in the back, don't bother me unless You Know Who calls." Erik opened the door and ushered InuYasha and a speechless Kagome into the workshop.

InuYasha leaned over to Kagome. "Who is You Know Who?" She shrugged, but Erik laughed lightly. "My wife. I give her first priority. If I don't, she has a nasty habit of making my life really tough." He chuckled at a private joke he didn't share, than led them to a clean bench. "Before we get started…" he looked at InuYasha, "show me what you're going to make."

"Feh?" Erik picked up paper and pencil.

"Draw me the sword that you're going to make." InuYasha scowled, and glared at Erik.

"That's not how I work. I make the sword, you test it, end of story." He put his arms across his chest and glared.

"Okay." He waved his hands at his studio. "Make yourself at home. I'll be sitting over there reading a book." He pointed at a lounge chair in the corner. InuYasha started working and Erik and Kagome went to sit down and watch.

Erik's long legs took up most of the floor space between the two chairs, and he read as if he had no interest in anything going on around him. It was a little disconcerting to Kagome at first, but she realized that Erik was VERY aware of everything going on in his studio when she shivered in cold and he pulled a red blanket off the back of his chair and handed it her. "Here." He leaned forward even further. "Are you sure he knows what he's doing?"

Kagome smiled at him. "In the eight years since you've first visited my shrine, have I ever butted into your history?" Erik shook his head and looked at her a little warily. "I'm not about to today. Let's just say that whatever past you have," she pointed a finger at InuYasha "his is probably stranger." As InuYasha expertly started hammering the metal, Kagome looked Erik straight in the face. "He knows what he's doing."

Erik went back to reading, but paid close attention to what method InuYasha was using. He'd never seen anyone make a sword the way InuYasha did. He was using an intricate folding technique that Erik _knew_ would make that sword the strongest blade in the shop.

After a couple of hours, Erik dialed a number on his cell phone and sandwiches from a nearby American deli showed up. Kagome and Erik ate theirs, placing InuYasha's aside while he continued to work. The sun had set, and You Know Who had called Erik twice, yelling at him the second time, before InuYasha cleaned up his workspace and walked over.

"It's cooling. Leave it until tomorrow. Then call Kagome on that ring, ring box and let me know if I have a job."

Erik stood and stared at the man that had such strange mannerisms. Suddenly he held out a scrawny hand. "I don't need to wait until tomorrow. You're hired." He smiled, but InuYasha frowned.

"I don't know how to make all those fancy blades and hilts you have out there. I only do that." He pointed at the expertly made Katana.

"Okay, so you keep making those, and when you want to learn something else, I'll show you how to make the others." InuYasha's eyes lit up, but he didn't smile.

"Hai." He grabbed Kagome's hand. "I'm tired, and hungry. Let's go home."

Kagome couldn't agree more. As they left Erik's shop, she knew their lives were going to be just fine.

**A/N**: There is 1 more chapter, so don't give up yet. If you know who my three new characters are loosely based upon, give yourself an extra two points for watching something outside of the InuYasha world. -TK


	17. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** InuYasha, we all know you belong to Kagome, more the pity. Miroku belongs to Sango (don't ask me why it's that way, maybe because she's a dominatrix?), probably a good thing for those of us who don't like being goosed. I can't even claim Naraku (the original one, not the super-dooper "tried to outdo Sesshomaru's armor" gaudy one). Therefore, I do not own any of these characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Please enjoy my latest interpretation on her characters' journeys.

oooooo

A year after InuYasha first appeared back in the present, he was Joint Partner of KatanaWorks with Erik. Somewhere along the way, the two of them had shared the secrets of their past and had become close, loyal friends. When Erik moved to California to start another factory, InuYasha took over running the Tokyo Main Store.

Kagome continued to take care of the Shrine, but InuYasha started doing more of the manual labor. Right now he was working two jobs. He would get up at 4am and clean the shrine until time to go to work, than he'd come home and do any maintenance that needed to be done. _Correction_ he thought, _I'm working three jobs. But just until…_ Kagome walked into the room and InuYasha glowed with expectant father pride.

"You didn't fix breakfast this morning did you?" Kagome was beautiful in pregnancy, even puffy and ruffled from a night of disrupted sleep. He shook his head. She'd threatened his life if he even looked at another egg, and he'd be damned if he was going to die over something that trivial.

Kagome groaned and sat down. "I actually feel like I could keep something down this morning." Morning sickness was only supposed to last for a few months, but Kagome was still dealing with it during her eighth month. InuYasha quickly got up, poured her a glass of milk, handed her a bagel, and sat back down. She sank her teeth into the bagel, took a big gulp of milk, and sighed happily. Rubbing her tummy, she smiled at her husband. "I think today's the day."

"Feh," he lightly replied. _No reason to let her know I'm packed, she's packed, the baby's packed, and the Doctor is on speed dial #1. It'll just make her worry._

"But go on to work. If anything happens, I'll call." If he still had dog-ears, they would have twitched, but Kagome was used to his mannerisms. "Seriously. Go on with you, I have things to do." She shooed him out the door and went to sit in a more comfortable chair. "Okay little one, it's about time for you to make our family complete." She looked at the door where the bags were packed, and relaxed. InuYasha had taken care of everything.

She hummed quietly to herself, lulling both herself and her unborn baby to sleep. Although it had been a long, hard journey, love finally found a home.

_**The End.**_

ssssss

**A/N: **Awww. Isn't it almost TOO sweet of an ending. Shoot, after all the Manga episodes those two have already had to suffer without so much as a real kiss, they deserved a honey sweet ending.

LF, I'm glad you caught that. There's actually a story behind the sandwich. I noticed the oversight in one of my proofing sessions, and my 2 friends (yeah, I only have 2) that do my pre-review also mentioned it. So, 3 times I told that boy there was a sandwich for him, each time he just looked at Kagome and told her he was hungry and wanted to go home. Ok fine, I can't force Baka to eat it; maybe he just wanted "ninja" food??? Erik can eat it later, it'll ruin his dinner and You Know Who can beat him soundly upon his head for it. But that's another story. So now everyone is in on the joke.

I sincerely appreciate every review I have received. It does make me feel good to know that there are people who take the time to let me know how the story is progressing, and if I need to fix/change things. Thanks to each one of you.

I do hope you enjoyed my first fanfic. Please, please, please. If I can improve my writing, let me know how. I'm not perfect, oh that I were ;-) I do take criticism constructively thought, if I didn't, my job would leave me in tears constantly.

Take care all, and if you read any others of mine, I'll be narrating to you soon. -TK


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